Preview — Me and Marvin Gardens
by A.S. King

Me and Marvin Gardens

Obe Devlin has problems. His family's farmland has been taken over by developers. His best friend Tommy abandoned him for the development kids. And he keeps getting nosebleeds, because of that thing he doesn't like to talk about. So Obe hangs out at the creek by his house, in the last wild patch left, picking up litter and looking for animal tracks.

One day, he sees a creatObe Devlin has problems. His family's farmland has been taken over by developers. His best friend Tommy abandoned him for the development kids. And he keeps getting nosebleeds, because of that thing he doesn't like to talk about. So Obe hangs out at the creek by his house, in the last wild patch left, picking up litter and looking for animal tracks.

One day, he sees a creature that looks kind of like a large dog, or maybe a small boar. And as he watches it, he realizes it eats plastic. Only plastic. Water bottles, shopping bags... No one has ever seen a creature like this before, because there's never been a creature like this before. The animal--Marvin Gardens--soon becomes Obe's best friend and biggest secret. But to keep him safe from the developers and Tommy and his friends, Obe must make a decision that might change everything.

In her most personal novel yet, Printz Honor Award winner Amy Sarig King tells the story of a friendship that could actually save the world....more

Community Reviews

I’m quite familiar with her young adult novels, so with her style, but I still had no idea what to expect from ME AND MARVIN GARDENS. After all, there are many differences between YA and MG.

I’m not disappointed with this novel written for young readers. A.S. King is known for inserting dept in her stories in creative ways – which is one of the things I like most about her – so it’s true I wondered how she would perform as a writer of middle grade insThis is A.S. King’s first middle grade book.

I’m quite familiar with her young adult novels, so with her style, but I still had no idea what to expect from ME AND MARVIN GARDENS. After all, there are many differences between YA and MG.

I’m not disappointed with this novel written for young readers. A.S. King is known for inserting dept in her stories in creative ways – which is one of the things I like most about her – so it’s true I wondered how she would perform as a writer of middle grade instead of her usual category.

Although there is a very evident young vibe and the main character (Obe) is eleven years old, I think older readers may enjoy this as well. I sure did. It’s not exceptional, but it’s such a hopeful story. Beautiful themes are featured, such as friendship, environment and the importance of treasuring our roots.

Marvin Gardens is Obe’s new and not-quite-supposed-to-exist friend who eats plastic. Obe, who believes saving the environment is a salient mission, is fascinated by Marvin Gardens. Sadly or not-so-sadly, he will discover that there are no perfect solutions – nothing is either black or white.

This is a slow book. Not much happens. Obe thinks a lot. Fortunately, he thinks about important subjects in interesting ways. Plus Marvin Gardens is a curious character – I love animals; I wish this one existed!

Even if it’s slow and uneventful, it’s hard to not want to keep reading, because this book makes us wonder about what will happen to Marvin Gardens – Where does he belong? What will happen to him? How will the story end?

A renowned YA author’s middle grades debut that reminds us to cherish our environment, our history, and consider our impact for future generations. Expect this book to pop up again in Newbery 2018 discussions.

If you know this author’s YA titles (written as A.S. King), you’ll immediately identify the qualities that are central to most of her books: we have a protagonist who is dealing with social ostracism in peer group and at home; we have parents who are a little evil; we have a absurdist con A renowned YA author’s middle grades debut that reminds us to cherish our environment, our history, and consider our impact for future generations. Expect this book to pop up again in Newbery 2018 discussions.

If you know this author’s YA titles (written as A.S. King), you’ll immediately identify the qualities that are central to most of her books: we have a protagonist who is dealing with social ostracism in peer group and at home; we have parents who are a little evil; we have a absurdist concept that lands in this otherwise realistic narrative like a spaceship landing in the middle of a cornfield.

Sixth grader Obe Devlin is watching his family’s ancestral land turn into housing developments. He can’t roam freely any more and it’s cramping his style. Meanwhile, former friend Tommy has turned against him, has made other friends at school, and now calls Obe a hippie for Obe’s creek-wading, trash-collecting habits.

One day Obe comes across a strange dog-like, pig-like creature who eats plastic and is responsive to Obe’s entreaties, whom he names Marvin Gardens. Obe and this creature develop a friendship, a friendship that’s imperiled when Obe realizes that Marvin’s scat carries some of the same qualities as toxic waste.

There’s a lot to love here: King’s style is fresh, wry, and rebellious. Middle grades can be a lot more complacent (as a genre) than YA, and King clearly wants to take your typical boy-and-dog narrative and toss that on its head. Good. Middle grades needs this churning.

There are also a lot of lovely connections to make to the world around us. Some of them are overt and totally the stuff of middle grades standard fare, like the school’s daily pollution facts during Earth month and the heroic science teacher Ms. G. Middle grades wouldn't be middle grades if we didn't have teacher-heroes. Others are more subtle and lend themselves to closer examination like a YA title, like the extended connection to Monopoly (every chapter begins with an illustration of one of the game’s character pieces) and Obe’s development. Obe's defensive strategy to Monopoly parallels his defensive strategy to protecting his neighborhood from increasing sprawl.

Let me be clear for a moment that Obe is not some sort of didactic pseudo-hero who serves as a vehicle for lessons about the environment. King is too good for that. Instead, he’s just a kid who sees himself in the world. He thinks about how the Susquehanna eventually leads out to the Atlantic Ocean. He and his friend go hunting for rocks and she tells him how old the rocks are. Here is a character who seems, if anything, spiritually connected to where he is in place and time, and part of his interest in the environment stems from this more fundamental interest in where he is.

There were a few plot points that dangled here a little too much without deep resolution and a few things about this book that I’ll want to explore in future writing and blogging.

I received an ARC and my review is based on an uncorrected copy. ...more

I have to admit, I'm a bit disappointed with King's debut middle grade novel. King is one of my favorite YA authors so I was curious to see the similarities & differences the new genre would bring to her writing. King is well known for the lovely magical realism she gives to each of her books & MARVIN GARDENS is no exception. Yes, it's not realistic that Obe discovers a new animal species that eats plastic & has burning orange scat. But here is where the aspect lies- it's no2.5 stars

I have to admit, I'm a bit disappointed with King's debut middle grade novel. King is one of my favorite YA authors so I was curious to see the similarities & differences the new genre would bring to her writing. King is well known for the lovely magical realism she gives to each of her books & MARVIN GARDENS is no exception. Yes, it's not realistic that Obe discovers a new animal species that eats plastic & has burning orange scat. But here is where the aspect lies- it's not supposed to be realistic. It's supposed to be a small pebble in the grand scheme of the book's theme.

This is where I had a bit of a problem. MARVIN GARDENS has an agenda- it is filled with environmental facts & makes sure the reader is very aware of the impact humans make for our home. This isn't necessarily a bad thing- it's crucial for people to know this, especially young readers, but these facts are listed multiple times, not for any particular reason other than shoving it in the reader's face- as if we could forget. (Well. 😐) But then you would think after reading all of these things, seeing how much it affects Obe, that more would be done other than him picking up trash by the creek & knowing how important it is to recycle. Basically I just feel the message gets destroyed by not following through (e.g. hosting a school drive), but that's just a personal qualm.

There are other important themes here such as: sibling relationships, parent-child relationships, teacher-student relationships, bullying, etc. But I think so much time was spent on the other stuff that none of these things really got to play out, except for perhaps the relationship between Obe & Annie. Annie was such a sweet character, I was really glad that they had each other.

I do want to mention the brief toxic masculinity that is discussed here. Obe's father (a complete idiot in my eyes) tells Obe that he needs to "man up" aka cannot be brave, daring or fierce. Obe internally challenges these beliefs & decides that he can, indeed, be all of these things. It's overshadowed by Marvin's arc but the spark is there & it's so important.

While the writing & story is compelling (as all other King's works are), there isn't much happening. Flashbacks are used, but they still didn't add much to be gained. The majority of the book is slow & then rushes to tie everything together (including "telling" Obe's future). I admire the book's willingness to start a conversation of the very real & alarming impact we are making today & how that will affect future generations, but overall this was a miss for me. Naturally, I look forward to reading King's next book....more

I love everything that A.S. King (here writing as Amy Sarig King) has written, and this book is no exception. I fell in love with both Obe and Marvin Gardens. I really related to Obe as he reminded me so much of myself at that age, and a little of me as an adult. As a kid I was forever bringing home stray dogs and cats, or a baby bird that fell out of the nest. I would have filled my whole house and yard with them if possible. Obe did everything he could to protect and save Marvin Gardens, and kI love everything that A.S. King (here writing as Amy Sarig King) has written, and this book is no exception. I fell in love with both Obe and Marvin Gardens. I really related to Obe as he reminded me so much of myself at that age, and a little of me as an adult. As a kid I was forever bringing home stray dogs and cats, or a baby bird that fell out of the nest. I would have filled my whole house and yard with them if possible. Obe did everything he could to protect and save Marvin Gardens, and keep him from those who would choose to harm him. He definitely found a place in my heart with his actions. And all his efforts at recycling and picking up all the trash that was constantly left by the river? Well, that's adult me. I pretty much live by the slogan Reduce Reuse Recycle. I really did adore this kid.

I wonder what will happen to Marvin and his recently discovered mate and children, now that Obe has found people who will protect them and keep them safe. Will Obe ever see them again? Obe was happy because of the time, as short as it was, that he got to spend with Marvin, and the knowledge that Dr. Keri was going to follow Marvin and his family as they led their nomadic life on the river. She would follow Marvin and write about him, keeping him safe along the way.

"It was the perfect ending really. One hundred years from now, how many people would come to this part of the river and know that an entire species was discovered right here? One hundred years from now, how many other plastic-eating species would there be? Would everyone recycle? Would people live a different way-a way that helped the planet? Would someone invent a way to clean the air and the water and the soil? A lot can happen in one hundred years. Maybe if everyone realized that we could change the world, we'd learn to live differently."...more

This book was pretty good overall and I enjoyed reading it. In the beginning, I was not really enjoy this book but towards the end I could not stop reading. Me and Marvin Gardens has a pretty cool idea throughout the book that was cool to see as the story played out. Overall, This book was very good and I would recommend it to most people.

This was a good book... it addresses many aspects of life like friendships, loneliness, and new beginnings. I liked how Obe didn't obsess over Tommy and how he found a new friend. I like how his family becomes united towards the end. Overall, it was a very good book.

Enjoyable odd little book about a sixth grader, concerned with the planet and all the litter that accumulates in his family's creek, who finds a strange animal that eats plastic. Could this be the solution to the world's landfill problems? But who to tell, and what will happen to the animal? Added to that, our young protagonist has a strained situation with former friends, a mean math teacher, and his own family, plus the stress of watching what was his family's land get sold off for a cheap newEnjoyable odd little book about a sixth grader, concerned with the planet and all the litter that accumulates in his family's creek, who finds a strange animal that eats plastic. Could this be the solution to the world's landfill problems? But who to tell, and what will happen to the animal? Added to that, our young protagonist has a strained situation with former friends, a mean math teacher, and his own family, plus the stress of watching what was his family's land get sold off for a cheap new housing development.

I liked this, it was quirky and fun, but also stressful. At times it got a little too stressful. It worried me, as a mom, that this young boy was being bullied, was dealing with some heavy-duty stuff, and he really couldn't go to his parents because they were so caught up in their own drama. The dad, in particular, was just a jackass. He wasn't abusive or anything, just a big jerk, so his children couldn't confide in him, and that bothered me. There was a lot going on here, and while it wasn't all wrapped up in a neat little fairy tale bow (though the ending was satisfactory) I do think some of the threads resolved too quickly.

But I did love (even though they were awful) the pollution and climate change facts, and the concern for the environment. That was nicely done, in a way that I think will engage kids....more

One hundred year ago, 11 year old Obe Devlin's great grandfather drank his 170 acres of land away, leaving his wife and children with only one small house to live in. There is also a small creek running by the house, the Devlin Creek. But now the Devlins are surrounded by three housing developments on what used to be their land before it was used to by booze.

Obe has made it his business to keep the creek free of garbage that people are always tossing into it. And he has lots of time to do that,One hundred year ago, 11 year old Obe Devlin's great grandfather drank his 170 acres of land away, leaving his wife and children with only one small house to live in. There is also a small creek running by the house, the Devlin Creek. But now the Devlins are surrounded by three housing developments on what used to be their land before it was used to by booze.

Obe has made it his business to keep the creek free of garbage that people are always tossing into it. And he has lots of time to do that, now that his former best friend Tommy has turned on him and started hanging out with the cool kids who sit in the back of the school bus, making fun of Obe and his bus friend Annie Bell, nicknamed Putrid Annie by the back seat boys. Tommy had also sucker punched Obe in a fight over hanging-out-territory and now Obe suffers from constant nosebleeds.

One day, while he is out picking up trash, Obe comes across an animal unlike any he has ever seen before - not quite dog, not quite pig, with part hoof, part toed , and skin like algae, but strangest of all, it is an animal who eats plastic. The two soon bond and Obe names the animal Marvin Gardens. Could Marvin be the answer to the problems of so much plastic flooding the environment?

Maybe not, though the two develop a warm and cozy relationship, the first thing Obe notices is that Marvin Gardens scat (poop) has a terrible odor and is often the bright colors of the plastic he eats. Obe keeps Marvin’s existence to himself, afraid of what might happen to him if people find out, especially Tommy and his new friends.

Then, when Marvin begins pooping where yet another new housing development is being built, the developers want to get to the bottom of what it is, and Obe realizes something isn’t right about the scat. It appears to be toxic, eating through and ruining the ground around it, as well as melting sneakers, if stepped in, and deck floors, if walked on in scat covered sneakers.

When Obe finds Marvin Gardens has been wounded by a paintball, he knows it is time to get help, and he knows just the person he can safely turn to.

Me and Marvin Gardens is told entirely from Obe’s point of view. He is a sweet, genial, 11 year old, concerned more with the environment than his is with his math homework. He’s having a hard time reconciling himself to the three housing developments that surround his house, built on fields he used to play on with his then best friend Tommy. He’s loyal friend to both Annie and Marvin, cares keeping about the environment, and has never even squealed on Tommy about the nosebleeds, even after Tommy accuses him melting sneakers and decks.

Besides the environment, King has managed to get themes of community, friendship, bullying, responsibility, and the inevitability of change in this charming coming of age novel without sounding preachy or didactic or boring. But King also doesn’t give the reader any easy answers about these things. Yes, she looks at how constant development and toxic waste are encroaching on the natural world, but she leaves it up to the reader to think about what they can do about it.

A word about the game Monopoly. Monopoly plays a real part in Me and Marvin Gardens. Each chapter begins with an illustration of one of the (original) playings pieces - shoe, hat, dog, etc. It is a game about real estate, about buying properties and developing them with houses and hotels, about some players going bankrupt when they land on a developed property and the high rent that can't be paid while others become fat cats collecting those high rents - the more developed the property is, the higher the rent.

Obe’s father is addicted to Monopoly and loves to play monopoly a few times a week with Obe and his older sister Bernadette. Dad is a ruthlessly ambitious player, buying, building and bankrupting Obe and Bernadette each time they play. Obe, on the other hand, prefers to hoard what properties he does buy, keeping them just as they are and never building on them. What is left of Devlin property is Obe’s personal “Monopoly” property, Real life is played out on the game board and the game board plays out real life. Obe's naming a plastic eating animal Marvin Gardens, which is the least expensive Monopoly property seems only natural.

This book is recommended for readers age 9+This book was borrowed from a friend.

Oh, I loved this book!!!! I think it would make a great read aloud, and I'm glad I was reading it on Earth Day and finished it the day after. How perfect! Obe is so tender-hearted, and his discovery and care of a new kind of animal, one who eats plastic, made me so nervous for the both of them all through the story. I loved Obe and Marvin Gardens so much I didn't want anything to happen to them! Thank God for Annie and Ms. G! Stories like this make me want to be a better person. Wonderful!!! AlsOh, I loved this book!!!! I think it would make a great read aloud, and I'm glad I was reading it on Earth Day and finished it the day after. How perfect! Obe is so tender-hearted, and his discovery and care of a new kind of animal, one who eats plastic, made me so nervous for the both of them all through the story. I loved Obe and Marvin Gardens so much I didn't want anything to happen to them! Thank God for Annie and Ms. G! Stories like this make me want to be a better person. Wonderful!!! Also - a few other observations. I loved the way King handled the kissing incident with Annie. It was a perfect middle-grade-appropriate way to bring up issues about disrespect and sexual harrassment and how it can sometimes be disregarded (and in this book, some of the disregard was from adults - even women). I loved how Obe wanted it addressed. I also saw connections in this book with Peter Brown's The Wild Robot. This is our April staff book club book, and I can't wait to talk about it. I hope A.S. King writes more Middle Grade books. She gave the keynote at this year's OCTELA conference in February and received a standing ovation - she was funny, honest, direct, and inspiring....more

This books packs a WHOLE LOT into a wonderful story of friendship: the need for conservation, the perils of overdevelopment, the angst of teenage growing pains, the effects of bullying, the perils of alcohol and the importance of a good education. There is just so much but it is all woven together so well. Obe is a very likable character who is wise beyond his years, although he is not aware of that fact yet, and his sidekick Marvin Gardens is lovable in all his slimy cuteness. The friendship thThis books packs a WHOLE LOT into a wonderful story of friendship: the need for conservation, the perils of overdevelopment, the angst of teenage growing pains, the effects of bullying, the perils of alcohol and the importance of a good education. There is just so much but it is all woven together so well. Obe is a very likable character who is wise beyond his years, although he is not aware of that fact yet, and his sidekick Marvin Gardens is lovable in all his slimy cuteness. The friendship they develop is built on mutual trust and respect. One cannot walk away from this book without wanting to plant a pretty new garden, recycle a few more bottles and, basically, just try to make the Earth a more beautiful place. ...more

This one needs to be in list form to highlight my love for it (and I will probably be adding to and revising this the more I think about this book!):

1) perfect way to approach environmental issues with the middle grade audience! Fans of "Hoot" by Carl Hiassen will love this, or fans of this story will love "Hoot" depending on their age/reading history. 2) excellent portrayal of how some kids handle bullying, and I loved how strong Obe and Annie were in the face of it. Not immune, but it did notThis one needs to be in list form to highlight my love for it (and I will probably be adding to and revising this the more I think about this book!):

1) perfect way to approach environmental issues with the middle grade audience! Fans of "Hoot" by Carl Hiassen will love this, or fans of this story will love "Hoot" depending on their age/reading history. 2) excellent portrayal of how some kids handle bullying, and I loved how strong Obe and Annie were in the face of it. Not immune, but it did not break them3) the author's note makes clear how near and dear this issue of clearing farm land for development is to the author's heart. That makes it even more special for the reader.4) Obe's parents are so imperfect and authentic, especially his mom's regret over her lack of education and his dad's love for Monopoly. 5) Marvin Gardens is the best animal character I have read in quite awhile, a feat most incredible given that he is a completely invented animal! King describes him so well that I wouldn't be surprised at all if I my kids found a MG living down by my own creek.

More to come as I ponder. Highly recommend for grades 4-6 or as a read aloud for grade 3 and up. Would love to see this title on lists such as the Global Read Aloud due to the importance and urgency of the environmental issues....more

For a while now I have been hearing and reading about how amazing A.S. King is, and I am so glad that I have finally read one of her works and that it is as unique and thought-provoking as expected. I love the hope that permeates this novel, including the hope that this is a story that might one day come true in its own way. I love that Obe is so real and that as a reader I *felt* so much a long with him. And I love that A.S. King wrote this for middle graders. And now, if you'll excuse me, I'dFor a while now I have been hearing and reading about how amazing A.S. King is, and I am so glad that I have finally read one of her works and that it is as unique and thought-provoking as expected. I love the hope that permeates this novel, including the hope that this is a story that might one day come true in its own way. I love that Obe is so real and that as a reader I *felt* so much a long with him. And I love that A.S. King wrote this for middle graders. And now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to go reserve some more books by A.S. King....more

"Maybe if everyone realized that we could change the world, we'd learn to live differently."

This book was recommended to me by a close friend because of my love for the movies Okja and Pete's Dragon. That friend was totally spot-on, and I would also recommend this to fans of Sara Pennypacker's Pax.

I would love to see this book turned into a movie. I wanted to meet Marvin Gardens IRL so badly. Such a sweet story, nearly every chapter made my heart melt. Just a good ole classical tale about a boy"Maybe if everyone realized that we could change the world, we'd learn to live differently."

This book was recommended to me by a close friend because of my love for the movies Okja and Pete's Dragon. That friend was totally spot-on, and I would also recommend this to fans of Sara Pennypacker's Pax.

I would love to see this book turned into a movie. I wanted to meet Marvin Gardens IRL so badly. Such a sweet story, nearly every chapter made my heart melt. Just a good ole classical tale about a boy and his swamp thang. ...more

A beautifully told story about a uniquely special kid who finds a uniquely special animal and how their friendship teaches him about the nature of fear, of taking care of our family and environmental legacies, and that we’re all just kind of weird loners, really.

Really liked this. Reminded me a bit of Fuzzy Mud by Louis Sachar, but without so much suspense. Nature loving sixth grader spends a lot of time by his favorite creek, picking up trash and enjoying the scenery. One day he discovers a strange animal that eats plastic...

If you're looking for A.S. King, yes this is the same author, but it's an entirely different feel when she switches to middle grade books. Not that it wasn't good, but it was clear she had an agenda here and there were slip ups here and there where it started to feel a little preachy. I think this would be an excellent choice to read and discuss in a classroom. There's plenty about science and the environment to dig into, but also more universal themes of bullying and friendship and trying to fiIf you're looking for A.S. King, yes this is the same author, but it's an entirely different feel when she switches to middle grade books. Not that it wasn't good, but it was clear she had an agenda here and there were slip ups here and there where it started to feel a little preachy. I think this would be an excellent choice to read and discuss in a classroom. There's plenty about science and the environment to dig into, but also more universal themes of bullying and friendship and trying to fit in that any middle schooler is bound to relate to. ...more

Obe lives in a previously rural bit of Pennsylvania that is quickly becoming suburban. Worst of all, the land on which the new houses are going up used to belong to his family, before his great grandfather lost it to pay drinking debts. His family is doing okay, but Obe is fighting with former best friend Tommy as well as dealing with recurring nosebleeds that resultant from Tommy punching him in the nose. His one solace is going to the creek behind his hosE ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

Obe lives in a previously rural bit of Pennsylvania that is quickly becoming suburban. Worst of all, the land on which the new houses are going up used to belong to his family, before his great grandfather lost it to pay drinking debts. His family is doing okay, but Obe is fighting with former best friend Tommy as well as dealing with recurring nosebleeds that resultant from Tommy punching him in the nose. His one solace is going to the creek behind his hose and picking up trash there. Once he finds an odd, slimy, hoglike animal that eats plastic, things start to get a little weird. He names the animal Marvin Gardens (his father is obsessed with Monopoly), and knows he has to keep him hidden from the authorities, as well as the neighborhood kids who might hurt him. At the same time, he feels that Marvin's ability to survive on plastic might be environmentally useful, so eventually tells a trusted teacher. Add to this the fact that Marvin's scat can eat through tennis shoes and decks, and there is a time factor that comes into play. Strengths: I adored the setting-- how many children have had to deal with seeing land that's been in their family for generations given over to McMansions? I liked that the family was supportive but struggling a lot with working long hours. The middle grade friendship between Obe and Tommy is also spot on. The little insights into what life was like 100 years ago was an interesting inclusion.Weaknesses: I was really loving this until Marvin showed up. I know that there needed to be some other form of conflict, but this was definitely a fantasy novel once we brought in the mutant animal that ate plastic. Just got kind of weird. What I really think: I might have to buy it, just because of the parts I liked. ...more

Can't even tell you how much my daughter and I loved this book. A.S. King is my favorite author anyway, and I was excited to be able to share her first middle-grade offering with Mabel. In short, it was everything I love about A.S. King, just with a younger main character. Obe reminded my of a younger Lucky Linderman.

I love how bullying is dealt with. I love the flawed parent-child relationship that was so realistic but not in any way dysfunctional (I'd call it "normal"). Again, I love the messages woven throughout each scene. I love that a teacher was a positive influence without being like Mr. Terrupt or countless other stereotypical, perfect, day-saving literary teachers. She seemed totally rWhat a precious story. Lovable characters, wonderful themes, enjoyable writing style (love the narrator's "voice").

I love how bullying is dealt with. I love the flawed parent-child relationship that was so realistic but not in any way dysfunctional (I'd call it "normal"). Again, I love the messages woven throughout each scene. I love that a teacher was a positive influence without being like Mr. Terrupt or countless other stereotypical, perfect, day-saving literary teachers. She seemed totally real to me. I love how A.S. King inspires curiosity, a love of one's heritage, and is contributing to a society that can be better than this generation's parents' (readers of this book will hopefully NOT be saying #metoo and WILL recycle that plastic bottle). I'm thankful that she shows how school can provide guidance that allows children to reach past the limitations created by their parents' beliefs and ignorance.

I feel like I want to write and write and write and discuss, discuss, discuss, but I don't want to be the (uncited, I'm sure) source of some student's book report, so I'm refraining. I already see teachers (gasp) and students searching here for discussion questions and themes and I don't want to provide anyone an "out" from reading it. Fortunately, my Battle of the Books group meets TODAY and we can discuss at length! I have a 7th grade girl and and 8th grade boy who both claimed that they "loved it!"

I recommend this to all students grades 5-7. (Coming of age, sweetest male 11-year-old protagonist you'll ever meet).

If this wins an award, I wouldn't be surprised.

P.S. to teachers: Students will truly learn what "irony" is as a result of reading this.

"I took a side. It was the right side. But everyone on every side thinks they're on the right side, once they take a side. No matter if you're wrong, it's hard not to be loyal to the side you picked. I'd rather be loyal to myself...."...more

This is a very familiar story (a family down on it's luck, a tween narrator going through issues with friends and parents, coming-of-age) that brings in a mysterious, mystical element of an unusual animal that survives on plastic.

What starts off a little clunky and odd becomes a very sweet book. There are great lessons abound, and a mostly compelling problem: what do you do with a new species that others may not be as happy to learn about? The story weaves stories of Obe's familyCloser to a 3.5.

This is a very familiar story (a family down on it's luck, a tween narrator going through issues with friends and parents, coming-of-age) that brings in a mysterious, mystical element of an unusual animal that survives on plastic.

What starts off a little clunky and odd becomes a very sweet book. There are great lessons abound, and a mostly compelling problem: what do you do with a new species that others may not be as happy to learn about? The story weaves stories of Obe's family from 100 years earlier, working well to enhance some of the circumstances in Obe's present day life.

What I really like about King's writing is how she's able to make her protagonists real - the dialogue and thought process feel like that of a naive, tween boy, exactly who she is trying to portray.

Sometimes King's mystical elements throw me off ("Still Life and Tornados" was really good until it sort of broke that wall), but I can see this being a great read-aloud for 5th or 6th grade connected to the environment, etc....more

Having read and truly admired King's books for older teens, I was curious to see how she would write for a younger audience. The answer is wonderfully, with great understanding of her audience and their concerns.

I expected a bit of magical realism and that is what I thought I was getting initially with the introduction of Marvin Gardens, a new species of animal that eats plastic and whose poop is toxic. I love that King pulled the rug out from all her older fans and made Marvin a charming realitHaving read and truly admired King's books for older teens, I was curious to see how she would write for a younger audience. The answer is wonderfully, with great understanding of her audience and their concerns.

I expected a bit of magical realism and that is what I thought I was getting initially with the introduction of Marvin Gardens, a new species of animal that eats plastic and whose poop is toxic. I love that King pulled the rug out from all her older fans and made Marvin a charming reality as well as a central figure for the story to revolve around. The character development is terrific, particularly that of Obe Devlin, the 6th grader trying to deal with layers of loss, resisting growing up too fast and doing his best to stay true to his interests.

Issues of changing friendships, peer pressure, bullying, the environment, and family are beautifully woven into an intriguing and unusual story. Trust A.S. King to put a wholly new twist on middle grade themes. This one had me cheering. ...more

Maybe that this book touched me a little bit more because of my personal attraction to all things conservation and nature, but this book inspired me. Never mind the fact that this 2018-2019 Black-Eyed Susan Nominee was in the 4-6th grade category- this book was phenomenal and once I finished it, i wish I could go back. I don’t even know where to start. I loved how the little details connected with the overall story and formed a huge theme. I loved the momentary recollections of the Devlin familyMaybe that this book touched me a little bit more because of my personal attraction to all things conservation and nature, but this book inspired me. Never mind the fact that this 2018-2019 Black-Eyed Susan Nominee was in the 4-6th grade category- this book was phenomenal and once I finished it, i wish I could go back. I don’t even know where to start. I loved how the little details connected with the overall story and formed a huge theme. I loved the momentary recollections of the Devlin family “100 years ago”. I loved the chapter titles and how they represented small things found in the chapter that you would only understand after you read it. I loved Annie Bell and Ms. G.I give this book 5 stars because of the touching story about Marvin Gardens and how his appearance brought out Obe’s true feelings.I thought I would almost 100% give my vote to Wishtree by Katherine Applegate, but after this read I will have to reconsider....more

A.S. King is the author of the highly-acclaimed I CRAWL THROUGH IT, Walden Award winner GLORY O'BRIEN'S HISTORY OF THE FUTURE, REALITY BOY, 2013 LA Times Book Prize winner ASK THE PASSENGERS, 2012 ALA Top Ten Book for Young Adults EVERYBODY SEES THE ANTS, and 2011 Michael L. Printz Honor Book PLEASE IGNORE VERA DIETZ and THE DUST OF 100 DOGS as well as a collection of award-winning short stories fA.S. King is the author of the highly-acclaimed I CRAWL THROUGH IT, Walden Award winner GLORY O'BRIEN'S HISTORY OF THE FUTURE, REALITY BOY, 2013 LA Times Book Prize winner ASK THE PASSENGERS, 2012 ALA Top Ten Book for Young Adults EVERYBODY SEES THE ANTS, and 2011 Michael L. Printz Honor Book PLEASE IGNORE VERA DIETZ and THE DUST OF 100 DOGS as well as a collection of award-winning short stories for adults, MONICA NEVER SHUTS UP.

Look for Amy's work in anthologies DEAR BULLY, BREAK THESE RULES, ONE DEATH NINE STORIES, and LOSING IT. Two more YA novels to come in 2016 & 2018. Find more at www.as-king.com.

p.s.- If I don't accept your friend request, don't feel sad. It's because I don't really use Goodreads even though I'm completely thrilled that you do!...more